“Someone else’s whole world.”

This past weekend, I met a fantastic educator.  He had just won an award as “teacher of the year,” and he made his way toward me in the morning to thank me for my talk.  We sat and chatted for a bit, and it was a true pleasure to talk to him. As we sat there, his three sons came and sat down with us, and I started to ask them about what they loved in school.  The one son told me that what he appreciated about his teacher was that “she loves us.” It was a beautiful answer and one that reminded me that every student that walks into our schools needs to feel valued and that if they weren’t there, they would be missed.

As I talked to his sons, the dad beamed with pride, as he should.  I then had to speak to the large group again and asked his son to share his thoughts with the group, to which the father was still beaming.  I thanked him and his family for coming and appreciated that moment.

When I finished speaking, the teacher’s father, who had been in attendance to celebrate his son’s recognition, came out of his way to thank me for my kindness towards his son and grandchildren.  I had no idea he was there, and it was a sweet moment to see three generations of a family there to celebrate the day.

It was a beautiful reminder that at no matter what age, we are somebody’s everything. I love this quote from Tom Murray:

I wrote about this idea years ago, and told the story about dealing with some disgruntled fans in a game I was reffing:

I distinctly remember reffing a basketball game and having some fans yell some really nasty things while in the game. At the break, I walked over to the fans, and introduced them to my mom and dad who were sitting in the stands.  They didn’t yell anymore.  Our parents always care about us, even when we are adults.

My dad is no longer with us, and I miss him daily, and to see that father beaming over his son reminded me of how much I missed my dad, and how much my mom still makes sure that I know how much she loves me every time we talk. My friend, Jimmy Casas, called my mom to tell her how much he appreciated me, even though they have never met.  It meant a lot to my mom, and I know it said a lot to the parents of Jimmy’s teachers that he would call with kind words as a principal.

These things matter and they are always a good reminder to do our best to be kind to each other.

• April 12, 2013 So Much More Effective
• March 19, 2016 Getting Proper Permission for Posting Student Pictures Online
• January 29, 2016 Say Hello To Tony
• January 8, 2015 An Acronym Leading to Empowerment in Schools (CEE)
• August 27, 2016 10 Easy Ways To Create an Amazing #SchoolCulture as a Principal This Year

Source: George Couros

from Connected Principals http://ift.tt/2H6pENF

“Someone else’s whole world.”

This past weekend, I met a fantastic educator.  He had just won an award as “teacher of the year,” and he made his way toward me in the morning to thank me for my talk.  We sat and chatted for a bit, and it was a true pleasure to talk to him. As we sat there, his three sons came and sat down with us, and I started to ask them about what they loved in school.  The one son told me that what he appreciated about his teacher was that “she loves us.” It was a beautiful answer and one that reminded me that every student that walks into our schools needs to feel valued and that if they weren’t there, they would be missed.

As I talked to his sons, the dad beamed with pride, as he should.  I then had to speak to the large group again and asked his son to share his thoughts with the group, to which the father was still beaming.  I thanked him and his family for coming and appreciated that moment.

When I finished speaking, the teacher’s father, who had been in attendance to celebrate his son’s recognition, came out of his way to thank me for my kindness towards his son and grandchildren.  I had no idea he was there, and it was a sweet moment to see three generations of a family there to celebrate the day.

It was a beautiful reminder that at no matter what age, we are somebody’s everything. I love this quote from Tom Murray:

I wrote about this idea years ago, and told the story about dealing with some disgruntled fans in a game I was reffing:

I distinctly remember reffing a basketball game and having some fans yell some really nasty things while in the game. At the break, I walked over to the fans, and introduced them to my mom and dad who were sitting in the stands.  They didn’t yell anymore.  Our parents always care about us, even when we are adults.

My dad is no longer with us, and I miss him daily, and to see that father beaming over his son reminded me of how much I missed my dad, and how much my mom still makes sure that I know how much she loves me every time we talk. My friend, Jimmy Casas, called my mom to tell how much he appreciated me, even though they had never met.  It meant a lot to my mom, and I know it said a lot to the parents of Jimmy’s teachers that he would call with kind words as a principal.

These things matter and they are always a good reminder to do our best to be kind to each other.

• April 12, 2013 So Much More Effective
• March 19, 2016 Getting Proper Permission for Posting Student Pictures Online
• January 29, 2016 Say Hello To Tony
• January 8, 2015 An Acronym Leading to Empowerment in Schools (CEE)
• August 27, 2016 10 Easy Ways To Create an Amazing #SchoolCulture as a Principal This Year

from Connected Principals http://ift.tt/2tfkaOr

4138 Cambie by Pennyfarthing at Cambie & King Edward

4138 Cambie by Pennyfarthing is a new 6-storey residential building with two detached 2-storey townhouses development. Centrally-located at Cambie & King Edward. This project will offer 22 studio, two-, and three- bedroom condominiums and 2 three- bedroom townhomes. 4138 Cambie aims to present a well-proportioned, timeless appearance in a contemporary manner. A well-articulated building form dominated by brick and Hardipanel, with window bays and corner glazing components, combine to achieve this vision.

The post 4138 Cambie by Pennyfarthing at Cambie & King Edward appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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SOLO District Phase 3 in Burnaby

SOLO District, will be releasing Phase 3 early this Spring. This highly anticipated third phase is the newest addition to the SOLO District neighbourhood, an already established master-planned community located in the true heart of Brentwood. Residents at SOLO District currently enjoy world-class shops, services, and amenities at their doorstep, including Whole Foods, Starbucks, BC Liquor Store, and Shoppers Drug Mart.

The post SOLO District Phase 3 in Burnaby appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

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Is there such thing as “over-collaboration”?

If you are teacher reading this right now, here is a question for you…

Do you like to be micromanaged?

Of course, I know the answer which is why I asked the question. Nobody wants to feel that they aren’t trusted to do their job.

But here is something to think about…Can micromanaging happen upward in the hierarchy of a school?

If a principal decides without input, do you feel that you as a staff should have been consulted? Every decision? Maybe you are micromanaging.

Do decisions happen in your classroom for your students that you make without their consultation? Of course you do.

Do you want your principal or superintendent to trust you to do your job? Of course you do.

But does the same trust happen upward?

This is NOT saying that collaboration is not essential, and input isn’t valued.  But as a teacher, I know that there were soooooooo many things that we talked about as a staff that I didn’t care about (nor did the majority of teachers that I worked with), that we spoke about endlessly during staff meetings.  Collaboration takes time, and collaborating on everything takes all of the time, and sometimes, without a decision being made.

Now many of you are reading this thinking that I am saying, “Trust your leader sometimes to make decisions without your input.”  Yes and no.

Part of the reason I am writing this is that I know that over-collaboration can be a thing in schools and that if every decision needs consultation from staff, this could end up increasing the workload on teachers, impacting their classrooms.  As leaders, every conversation can add to the ever-increasing “teacher-plate” making it a “teacher-platter”.

One of my frustrations as a teacher was talking endlessly about a topic that maybe divided the staff, and then ultimately, walking away with no direction.  We can easily get scared to bother some of the people we serve for the sake of others, but wasting time could upset everyone.

Here is the tough part for an administrator…Identifying what needs collaboration and input, and what decision you can make on your own without burdening your staff. Identifying these things are not easy, but who said leadership was easy?

But this is why relationships (again) are so crucial. If people know that your heart and mind are in the right place, they will forgive a decision that was made without input if they know your intentions to serve them and the students were there the entire time.

Collaborating on everything can sometimes lead to nothing getting done. If you are micromanaging, up or down, ultimately that will guarantee more being added to your plate. Trust is a reciprocated agreement; it needs to go both ways. Figure out when input is needed, and when lack of input might be beneficial to those you serve in letting them do their job to the best of their abilities.

• May 18, 2017 It’s Okay To Be a “Boss”
• May 6, 2017 Even If You Are “Big”, Act Small
• February 24, 2015 A great leader will know when to get out of the way, or help you along the way.
• November 4, 2016 4 Ways We Hold Others Back
• January 19, 2016 Why Your Best People Leave and Why That Can Be Okay

Source: George Couros

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Earl by Vicni Homes in Vancouver

Earl by Vicni Home is a collection of six spectacular 3-bedroom Vancouver townhomes, just steps away from Slocan Park and 29th Ave Skytrain Station, surrounded by park amenities including the vibrant Slocan Park, Renfrew Ravine Park and Still Creek Community Garden. At 1,450 sf, the homes at Earl feature an open concept layout with chef-worthy kitchens and a large flex space for your growing family. The fabulous master retreat includes a spa-like ensuite, vaulted ceillings, and private decks with stunning North Shore mountain views.

The post Earl by Vicni Homes in Vancouver appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.

from Buildings – Vancouver New Condos http://ift.tt/2oA1x2Y

Is there such thing as “over-collaboration”?

If you are teacher reading this right now, here is a question for you…

Do you like to be micromanaged?

Of course, I know the answer which is why I asked the question. Nobody wants to feel that they aren’t trusted to do their job.

But here is something to think about…Can micromanaging happen upward in the hierarchy of a school?

If a principal decides without input, do you feel that you as a staff should have been consulted? Every decision? Maybe you are micromanaging.

Do decisions happen in your classroom for your students that you make without their consultation? Of course you do.

Do you want your principal or superintendent to trust you to do your job? Of course you do.

But does the same trust happen upward?

This is NOT saying that collaboration is not essential, and input isn’t valued.  But as a teacher, I know that there were soooooooo many things that we talked about as a staff that I didn’t care about (nor did the majority of teachers that I worked with), that we spoke about endlessly during staff meetings.  Collaboration takes time, and collaborating on everything takes all of the time, and sometimes, without a decision being made.

Now many of you are reading this thinking that I am saying, “Trust your leader sometimes to make decisions without your input.”  Yes and no.

Part of the reason I am writing this is that I know that over-collaboration can be a thing in schools and that if every decision needs consultation from staff, this could end up increasing the workload on teachers, impacting their classrooms.  As leaders, every conversation can add to the ever-increasing “teacher-plate” making it a “teacher-platter”.

One of my frustrations as a teacher was talking endlessly about a topic that maybe divided the staff, and then ultimately, walking away with no direction.  We can easily get scared to bother some of the people we serve for the sake of others, but wasting time could upset everyone.

Here is the tough part for an administrator…Identifying what needs collaboration and input, and what decision you can make on your own without burdening your staff. Identifying these things are not easy, but who said leadership was easy?

But this is why relationships (again) are so crucial. If people know that your heart and mind are in the right place, they will forgive a decision that was made without input if they know your intentions to serve them and the students were there the entire time.

Collaborating on everything can sometimes lead to nothing getting done. If you are micromanaging, up or down, ultimately that will guarantee more being added to your plate. Trust is a reciprocated agreement; it needs to go both ways. Figure out when input is needed, and when lack of input might be beneficial to those you serve in letting them do their job to the best of their abilities.

• May 18, 2017 It’s Okay To Be a “Boss”
• May 6, 2017 Even If You Are “Big”, Act Small
• February 24, 2015 A great leader will know when to get out of the way, or help you along the way.
• November 4, 2016 4 Ways We Hold Others Back
• January 19, 2016 Why Your Best People Leave and Why That Can Be Okay

from Connected Principals http://ift.tt/2oDwXFF